Gospel Against Aids Inc

SINCE 2022, GAA EXPANDED ITS FOCUS TO INCLUDE STRENGTHENING ITS COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION EFFORTS BY CREATING AND ATTENDING COMMUNITY FORUMS WHERE MORE COMMUNITY CHANGE AGENTS COULD BE IDENTIFIED. THESE CHANGE AGENTS WERE TRAINED, EQUIPPED, AND EMPOWERED TO BECOME "HIV COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS" WHO, NOT ONLY ASSISTS US IN DISSEMINATING PREVENTION INFORMATION, BUT ALSO, THEY ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN CREATING, IDENTIFYING, AND IMPLEMENTING COMMUNITY-BASED ACTIVITIES, FORUMS, AND CONFERENCES WHERE HARD TO REACH AND UNREACHED HIGH-RISK INDIVIDUALS CAN RECEIVE HIV, STI AND COVID 19 TESTS AND IN THE CASE OF THE LATER, VACCINATED. WE HAVE FOUND THAT WE HAVE HAD TO EXPAND OUR PARTNERING AGENCIES WITHIN OUR CARE CONTINUUM TO INCLUDE NOT ONLY HIV SERVICE PROVIDERS, STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, BUT ALSO MORE NON-HIV SERVICE AGENCIES INCLUSIVE OF BUT NOT EXCLUSIVE TO; CLINICS AND HOSPITALS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND TREATMENT CENTERS, HOMELESS SHELTERS AND SOUP KITCHENS, HOUSES OF WORSHIP AND OTHER FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. THIS EXPANSION ALSO ALLOWS GAA TO PROVIDE ACTIVE REFERRALS FOR THOSE WHO TEST POSITIVE (REACTIVE) FOR HIV AND STIS. IN THESE CASES, OUR GOAL IS TO ESTABLISH A SEAMLESS TRANSITION FOR CLIENTS TO HAVE ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL SERVICES. THIS COMMUNITY EXPANSION HAS ALSO PROVIDED GAA THE OPPORTUNITY TO RE-ENGAGE THOSE WHO HAVE DROPPED OUT OF CARE AND TREATMENT. FINALLY, THIS COMPONENT ALLOWS GAA TO TAP INTO PREVIOUSLY UNTAPPED VENUES IN HIGH PREVALENCE COMMUNITIES. OVER 5,000 INDIVIDUALS HAVE HEARD OUR PREVENTION MESSAGES AND/OR RECEIVED SERVICES THROUGH THIS COMPONENT.GAA'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES THIS YEAR INCLUDED EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS PROVIDED AT BOTH INDIVIDUAL, AND GROUP LEVELS BOTH VIRTUALLY, AND IN-PERSON. BECAUSE OF DEMAND, GAA BROUGHT IN ADDITIONAL HIV TESTING AGENCIES TO PROVIDE HEP C, SYPHILIS, GONORRHEA, AND OTHER STI TESTING. GAA RECEIVED ITS OVERDOSE PREVENTION CERTIFICATION FROM AMERICORPS TO DISTRIBUTE NARCAN AND WAS TRAINED TO PROVIDE LIFESAVING RESUSCITATION METHODS IN CASE OF AN OVERDOSE. ALSO IN 2023, GAA CONTINUED TO PROVIDE IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING SESSIONS TO BEAUMONT HOSPITALS CANCER CENTER INTEGRATED MEDICAL DIVISION, MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, CONVERSATIONS ON RACE-FAITH-BASED LEADERSHIP GROUP, DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS - NOUS FOUNDATION, KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY (KSU)SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, GREAT LAKES BAY HEALTH CENTERS AND FAITH AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP GROUP/COVENANT COMMUNITY CARE, AND THE NATIONAL SOUTHERN BAPTIST LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THIS 6-PART SESSION WAS PROVIDED FOR MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL STAFF AT THE AFOREMENTIONED HOSPITALS. IT HAS BECOME AN INTEGRATED PART OF NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION AT THESE FACILITIES. THIS YEAR, KSU, BROUGHT ON GAA TO REPLICATE OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE SPECIFICALLY TO ENGAGE HOUSES OF WORSHIP AS THE BASE TO ADDRESS IDENTIFIED COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH NEEDS.NEW PARTNERSHIPS THAT PROVIDED HIV AND COVID 19 FORMED IN 2020, CONTINUED IN 2023. ONE OF THEM WAS WITH WAYNE COUNTY ORAL HEALTH COALITIONS "CHRIST AGAINST COVID ANTIBODY PREVALENCE PROJECT" THAT ALLOWED GAA TO IMPLEMENT OUR HIV DISTANCE SELF-TESTING INITIATIVE ALONG WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED PARTNERING ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDED COVID 19 TESTING AND VACCINATIONS. GAA ESTABLISHED THIS SAME PARTNERSHIP WITH AUTHORITY HEALTH AND UNIVERSITY PHARMACY. GAA ALSO IMPLEMENTS THIS COMPONENT AT 2 OF OUR SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND TREATMENT CENTER SITES AND AT THE ANNUAL MEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE HELD AT FORD FIELD WHERE OVER 2,000 MEN ATTEND TO OBTAIN MUCH NEEDED HEALTH SERVICES.FROM 2022 TO 2023, GAA TRAINED THE STAFF AT SOARING UNLIMITED HEALTH CENTER IN CAPE HAITIAN, HAITI. THIS TRAINING RESULTED IN A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SOARING UNLIMITED AND GAA TO WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THEIR HIV TESTING INITIATIVE BY PROVIDING VIRTUAL PREVENTION SESSIONS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND FRENCH TO STAFF AND SELECTED PATIENTS, COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS FROM THE US IN HAITI. IT IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THAT REGION OF THE ISLAND. THIS PARTNERSHIP ALSO LED TO THE OPENING OF A BIRTHING CENTER AT THE CLINIC. NOW MANAGED BY A FORMER GAA HIV TESTER AND COUNSELOR. IT IS THE ONLY BIRTHING CENTER IN THE REGION.LASTLY, GAA'S "POINTS OF CARE COLLABORATIVE" CONTINUED THROUGHOUT 2023. THIS COLLABORATIVE, AS WAS TOUCHED ON BRIEFLY EARLIER, ALLOWS CLIENTS ACCESS TO SEVERAL HIV AND NON-HIV SERVICES AT DESIGNATED GAA HIV TESTING SITES. FROM DENTAL SERVICES, TO FOOD, CLOTHING, ETC., ALL PROVIDED BY OTHER LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS SPECIALIZING IN THEIR DESIGNATED FIELDS. WHILE LINKAGE TO CARE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN OBJECTIVE FOR GAA, THIS COLLABORATIVE HAS ENABLED GAA TO MOVE CLOSER TO ESTABLISHING THIS AS A CENTRAL SERVICE OFFERED BY GAA.